UAE, Saudi Arabia send 540,000 tonnes of wheat to Sudan

The UAE and Saudi Arabia have allocated 540,000 tonnes of wheat to the Sudanese people, meeting the population’s basic food requirements for three months, announced the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) on Wednesday.

The first and second batch comprising of 140,000 tonnes of wheat have already been shipped, the fund added in its statement.

Commenting on the announcement, ADFD Director-General Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi said, "The food security support provided to the Sudanese people is in line with the wise directives of the leaderships of the UAE and Saudi Arabia to ensure the provision of essential food supplies and mitigate the effects of the current transitional stage in the country.

"Both countries are keen to provide all possible support to Sudan in overcoming difficult conditions and achieving economic stability and food security. The aid package stems from the brotherly ties that unite UAE and the Saudi Arabia with the Sudanese people," he added.

The food shipment falls within the framework of the $3 billion (Dhs11 billion) Saudi Arabia-UAE joint aid package to support Sudan’s economic and financial stability, announced in April 2019.

As part of the joint aid package, Saudi Arabia and the UAE deposited $500 million to the Central Bank of Sudan, CBOS, evenly split between the two countries, to strengthen the financial position of the CBOS. The remainder of the aid package will be allocated to meet the urgent needs of the Sudanese people for food, medicine, petroleum derivatives, and seasonal agricultural requirements.

WAM